Dave the Diver, the captivating game that blends fishing, deep-sea exploration, and restaurant management, has reeled in a substantial update that introduces new content, performance enhancements, and various bug fixes.
The primary feature of this significant update is the introduction of a range of new activities within the indie standout of 2023. This includes the addition of fresh sub-missions in the later-game regions, which were previously more focused on concluding the main storyline.
In terms of gameplay mechanics, players can now engage with crabs and lobsters, along with the inclusion of crab traps for capturing them. A dedicated system for catching crabs has been implemented to make the waiting process more interactive.
Arguably the most intriguing addition is an event known only as a “Lobster Party,” which promises to showcase new species but leaves the specifics for players to uncover themselves.
One particularly useful addition is the ability to automate farming with the assistance of MC Sammy, who can handle various chores. Additionally, new devices have been introduced to aid in egg storage and chicken feeding, streamlining the farm’s efficiency.
Out on the water, players can now face a new event boss once all Marinca cards have been collected. These cards have been categorized into a “Nocturnal” category, and new nocturnal fish species have been included to balance the fact that many daytime fish can now be found at night.
Moreover, there is a Wandering Merchant who, when served a “special” dish at your Bancho Sushi restaurant, will return to sell items, including new ingredients.
Behind the scenes, there are general performance improvements and faster loading times, the option to purchase seeds from Gumo at the seaweed farm, and a range of bug fixes. Additionally, the game now offers Steam trading cards.
This substantial update is now available, fulfilling the promise made by the developers at Mintrocket in August to provide new content following quality-of-life improvements. These previous improvements included the ability to disable button-mashing and resize the game’s user interface for the Steam Deck and smaller screens.
Dave the Diver has already garnered over a million players since its release earlier this year, and it’s heartening to see it continuing to expand and enhance, even as its creators venture into less wholesome territory.